Left atrial function in class III obesity: a pilot study using two-dimensional speckle tracking echocardiography.

INTRODUCTION: Currently, the interaction between heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) and obesity is discussed. As part of a complex echocardiographic examination, the two-dimensional speckle tracking (2D-STE) method is a significant tool for assessing dysfunction of the left atrium. Our study aimed to compare left atrial function using the 2D-STE in patients with class III obesity and a control group. METHODS: This was an observational, prospective, pilot /preliminary/ study that enrolled 20 patients with class III obesity (Body mass index (BMI) > 40 kg/m²) and a group of nineteen healthy individuals with a BMI of 20–25 kg/m² as controls. The following parameters were observed: Reservoir Left Atrial Strain (R-LAS), Conduit Time (CT-LAS), and Contractile Displacement (CD-LAS). RESULTS: The study patient group included sixteen women and four men (average age 42.4 years, ranging 19–63). The mean BMI was 47.69 ± 8.86 kg/m². The control group was created from fifteen women and four men (average age 27.2 ± 3.7 years, average BMI 22.48 kg/m²). The study found significant differences in R-LAS (29.9 ± 7.0 vs. 45.0 ± 11.7;p < 0.001) and CT-LAS (-16.8 ± 5.89 vs. -29.7 ± 8.71;p < 0.001) between patients with class III obesity and controls. No significant difference was seen in the remaining studied parameter /CD-LAS/ (-13.2 ± 4.77 vs. -15.1 ± 6.28;p = 0.305). CONCLUSION: The R-LAS and CT-LAS were significantly changed (reduced) in patients with class III obesity compared to the controls.